El Salam — A reconciliation conference between the Fellata and Masalit tribes has started in South Darfur on Saturday. The conference aims to end the conflict between the two tribes in Gireida.

The conference is taking place at Bulbul Tumbisco in El Salam locality, under the chairmanship of Shartai Ibrahimi Mohamed Abdallah and supervised by the Commissioner of Gireida locality.

Omar Mohamed Ibrahim, representative of Gireida in the state legislative council, told Radio Dabanga that the two sides would sign the document on peaceful coexistence at the end of the conference.

The parties have already reached a settlement regarding areas where former displaced people would voluntarily return to, in Jamila. This agreement has been reached together with other tribes, including the Gimir.

Ali Abakar El Toam, deputy speaker of the South Darfur Legislative Council, told Radio Dabanga: "The agreement which was reached under the auspices of the locality commissioner stipulates that the Gimir tribe will cultivate the land west of Jamila this year, while the other tribes do so north of Jamila. Provided that the land will be claimed by its original owners after the end of the season of harvest of crops."

For years, Falata and Salamat in southern Darfur entered into bloody conflicts over water sources and pastures. Hundreds of tribesmen on both sides were killed and thousands of villagers displaced. In the past two years the fighting appears to have subsided.

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